1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a wheel assembly for an exerciser, more particularly to an exerciser wheel assembly adapted for mounting on a wheel-bearing tube of an exerciser without the need for a locking bolt.
2. Description of the Related Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,754, the applicant disclosed a wheel assembly that includes a wheel-mounting member of molded plastic, and an annular wheel. The wheel-mounting member includes a peripheral wall which has a left portion with an open end for extension of the wheel-bearing tube, and a right portion formed with a closed end wall. An annular flange extends axially from an inner side surface of the closed end wall so as to define an annular groove between the peripheral wall and the annular flange to receive the wheel-bearing tube when the latter is inserted into the wheel mounting member via the left portion in such a manner that the wheel-mounting member is fixed on the wheel-bearing tube. The peripheral wall has a first outward flange proximate to the closed end wall, and a second outward flange disposed on the left portion and inboard to the first outward flange, thereby defining a wheel-mounting space between the first and second outward flanges. The peripheral wall further has a plurality of axially extending slots which are formed therethrough and which are opened at the open end of the left portion of the wheel-mounting member so as to define a plurality of flexible jaws. Each of the jaws is located between an adjacent pair of the axially extending slots. The second outward flange is located on the jaws. The annular wheel is sleeved on the wheel-mounting member between the first and second outward flanges, and has an intermediate narrowed inner wall section and two enlarged end inner wall sections which are located on opposite sides of the intermediate narrowed inner wall section and which respectively receive the first and second outward flanges. The intermediate narrowed inner wall section has an inner diameter slightly smaller than an outer diameter of the second inward flange so that the second inward flange can be compressed due to flexibility of the jaws in order to permit entrance of the wheel into the wheel-mounting space of the wheel-mounting member during assembly such that the jaws cannot be compressed after assembly, thereby preventing removal of the wheel from the wheel-mounting member.